Adjustable prop for fruit-trees



No. 6l2,l42. Patented Oct. Il, |898.

L. D. SCHFFER.

ADJUSTABLE PROP FOR FRUIT TREES.

(Application filed Har. 22, 1898.)

(No Model.)

WM 5mi.'

UNTTED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

LEHMAN DORR SCHFFER, OF REDLANDS, CALIFORNIA.

ADJUSTABLE PROP FOR FRUIT-TREES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 612,142, dated October 11, 1898.

Applicant ined March 22, 189s.

T0 @ZZ whom t may con/cern:

Be it known that I, LEHMAN DORE SCHE- FER, of Redlands, in the county of San Bernardino and State of California,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Adj ustable Props or Crutches for Supporting the Branches of Trees, more especially Fruit-y Trees, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description or specification, reference being had to the annexed sheet of drawings and to the letters marked thereon.

My said invention, which relates to certain new and useful improvements in adjustable props or crutches for supporting the branches of trees, more especially fruit-trees, has for its object to render the length of the prop or crutch adjustable to the distance or height above the ground of a branch or branches of a tree requiringr to be supported. For this purpose the prop is provided with a lock-fast bracket capable of being moved upward and downward upon the prop and being securely fastened to the prop at any adjusted height or distance above the ground.

The object, in the second place, is to enable the bracket to be securely locked onto the prop, so that it cannot be shifted thereon when in the fastened position of the parts constituting the bracket.

On the annexed sheet of drawings, Figure l is a side elevation of a portionof a prop with thebracket shown in the lock-fast position. Fig. 2 is a transverse section of the same on the line a. a, Fig. 1, showing the lock-fast bracket with its teeth biting into the stake or prop. Fig. 3 is another elevation of my lockfast prop or crutch, showing the movable parts of the lockfast bracket in the three positions of being unlocked, a midway position, and the completely-locked position.

In the drawings the timber prop or crutch is marked A, and this may be of any desired length.

The lock-fast bracket consists of two portions-namely, the portion B, which surrounds or incloses the prop, and the portion C, so attached to the portion B that by its operation, as hereinafter described, it either locks itself and the partB fast to the prop or crutch A or releases itself and the part B therefrom. lThe loop B is formed with two teeth D D at its rear end, which are bent in serai No. 674,844. (No man.)

ward, so as to project toward the rear side of the prop. Upon the front portion of the loop B there is carried the bracket C, which is bent into a hook, as more especially shown in Fig. 2, the steel wire consituting which is coiled at its upper part, as shown, around the front portion of the loop B, so as to be free to move rotatively upon the front part of the loop B.

The upper ends of the steel wire constituting the bracket C are formed into two teeth E E, as shown in the drawings.

When the lock-fast bracket is to be used, the loop B is placed upon the prop or crutch A, and in this condition the bracket C occupies the upturned position shown in Fig. 3. In order to tighten the lock-fast bracket upon the prop or crutch A, the bracket C is depressed by hand downward, which has the effect of bringing the teeth E E in contact with the front side of the prop, and the pressure of the hand being continued upon the bracket C draws the teeth D D at the back of the loop B into the rear face of the prop A, while the continued depression of the hook or bracket C to the lowest position shown in Figs. l and 3 causes the bracket to be locked fast to the prop or crutch A by reason of the several teeth thereof entering the wood at both the front and back faces of t-he prop.

To release the lock-fast bracket from the crutch or prop, the hook C is drawn or pushed upward into the dotted position shown in Fig.

3, when it is'ready for being removed from the prop or locked in any other required height or position thereon.

Having now described the nature of my said invention and the best system, inode, or manner I am at present acquainted with for carrying the same into practical effect, I desire to observe, in conclusion, that what I consider to be novel and original, and therefore claim as the invention to be secured to me by Letters Patent, is as follows:

l. The new or improved lock-fast prop or crutch, consisting of awooden prop or stake, a metallic loop surrounding said stake,formed with teeth at its rear end and carrying a rotatable loop or hook provided with teeth on -its front end, the parts all operating together in the manner and for the purposes substantially as set forth.

2. The combination consisting of the timber prop or stake, the loop surrounding said DORR SCHFFER, have hereunto set my hand stake, the teeth at the rear end of said loop, and seal, this 27th day of November, 1897, in Io the bracket or loop carried rotatively on the the presence of two subscribing witnesses, front end of the aforesaid loop, and the teeth T Y l 5 on the inner end of said, hook or bracket, all LDHMM BORR SOMMER" [1" S'] operating together in the manner and for the Witnesses: purposes substantially as set forth. KIRKE H. FIELD,

In testimony whereof I, the said LEHMAN EUGENE C. CAMPBELL. 

